A horse struggles in the mud at the small town of Bento Rodrigues after a dam burst on Thursday in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

A truck hangs upside down after a dam burst at the small town of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

An injured dog is rescued after a dam burst at the small town of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

Aerial view of the debris after a dam burst at the small town of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

Aerial view of a mudslide after a dam burst at the small town of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

A dog walks in the mud at the small town of Bento Rodrigues on Friday after a dam burst on Thursday in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

Two dogs stand on the roof of a destroyed house at the small town of Bento Rodrigues after a dam burst on Thursday, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area. (

Aerial view of a mudslide after a dam burst on Thursday, at the small town of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

Aerial view of the debris and mud on Thursday, at the small town of Bento Rodrigues after a dam burst in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

A girl runs between mattresses inside a sports arena where residents are taking refuge after being displaced by bursting dams in Mariana, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. The rupture of two dams at an iron ore mine unleashed a mix of water and mining residue on a village downhill, smothering the enclave of Bento Rodrigues. Only about 10 of the village's around 200 houses were left standing, and cars and other objects were tossed by what survivors described as an eruption of mud. The mine operator Samarco is jointly owned by the Brazilian mining company Vale and Australia's BHP Billiton.

Horses struggles in the mud at the small town of Bento Rodrigues after a dam burst in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

Aerial view of the debris after a dam burst on Thursday, at the small town of Bento Rodrigues in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. Brazilian rescuers searched feverishly Friday for possible survivors after two dams burst at an iron ore mine in a southeastern mountainous area.

A girl rests on a mattresses in a sports arena after residents were displaced by dams that burst in Mariana, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, on Friday. The rupture of two dams at an iron ore mine unleashed a mix of water and mining residue on a village downhill, smothering the enclave of Bento Rodrigues. Only about 10 of the village's around 200 houses were left standing, and cars and other objects were tossed by what survivors described as an eruption of mud. The mine operator Samarco is jointly owned by the Brazilian mining company Vale and Australia's BHP Billiton.

MARIANA, Brazil – The flood of mud came without a warning. The only hint that the roughly 600 residents of Bento Rodrigues had that a sea of viscous, clay-red mud was about to flow into their village with the destructive power of lava was a deafening clap.

The sound of two dams bursting Thursday afternoon at the Samarco iron ore mine in Brazil’s central Minas Gerais state sent residents running for the hills, and, miraculously, most appear to have survived.

Only two people were confirmed to have been killed in the accident, which sent some 62 million cubic meters of water and iron ore leftovers flooding into the village, which is located some 4 miles downhill from the mine, officials said Friday. Four were injured and another 13 were missing.

Still, officials warned that those numbers could rise. Only about 100 of the nearly 600 people thought to live in the area have been officially accounted for.

The cause of the accident was not known, but a seismology lab at the University of Brasilia reported that several small tremors were registered in the area hours ahead of the disaster, according to O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper.

A spokesman with the U.S. Geological Survey, John Bellini, said the agency, which monitors seismic activity worldwide, had not located any earthquakes in the region on Thursday, noting that they would generally not receive data on any event smaller than a 4.2 magnitude quake. Still, he stressed that it would generally take a quake larger than 4.5 magnitude to damage a dam.

As rescue workers evacuated remaining survivors, the mining company’s president worked to dispel fears that the mud contained toxins that could contaminate the land and area rivers.

Resident Joaquim Teofilo Dutra confirmed that the crash of the dams giving way was the first sign of the impending disaster.

“When I went outside there were already people running uphill saying the dam burst,” Dutra told The Associated Press. “All I did was close my house and run to the top.”

Rescue worker Denir Ubaldo Monterio said neighbors banded together to escape the mudflow.

“As soon as the mud started to come down, the residents started helping and informing their neighbors and assisting those who had difficulties walking,” he said. “When the firefighter helicopter arrived, the mud was still coming down.”

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